Figs are fruits rich in potassium, iron and calcium. They bring so many vitamins, especially vitamin B6 . Often we talk about figs as a particularly caloric fruit. In reality, however, they are more or less average and are less caloric than other sugary fruits, such as mandarins and grapes. In fact, 100 grams of fresh figs contain about 50 calories, compared to 60 for grapes and around 70 for mandarin.
Fresh figs contain digestive enzymes that facilitate the assimilation of food and stimulate intestinal peristalsis. They are very rich in fiber and are an excellent source of energy immediately available.
And the dried figs?
Dried figs provide the body with about 250 calories per 100 grams, 5 times those of fresh figs. However, a dried fig can sometimes be a sweet natural snack and is preferable to desserts, cakes and all those baked goods that are too rich in fat and refined sugars that often run around our homes.
September is a good month to eat fresh figs, but at the end of the summer, it is not a bad idea to get a small supply of dried figs for the winter.
If you like the idea, try to keep them like this : after having broken them and put in a toasted mandola, sprinkle with bitter cocoa and cinnamon and store in a tin box or in a large glass jar with lid.
How to eat fresh figs
Going back to fresh figs, here are some ideas to include them in the diet:
- At breakfast, when we need more energy, maybe match with a Greek yogurt.
- Before physical activity, for a boost of energy.
- As a mid-morning or mid-afternoon snack, highly recommended for children too.
- For the preparation of homemade desserts .
- In salads or appetizers . The taste of figs, in fact, is well suited to many recipes, even savory ones.
Read also The virtues of autumn fruits >>
A savory recipe with figs
Figs lend themselves very well to the preparation of appetizers . For example, they go well with raw ham or sliced vegetables, as an alternative to melon, and go well with cheeses. Have you ever tried to combine them with ricotta and pine nuts?
For four people it takes: 4 ripe but firm figs, 100 grams of soft goat ricotta, a handful of pine nuts, a few leaves of fresh mint to decorate.
Wash the figs and break them in the center. Toast the pine nuts and add them to the goat ricotta, work a little with the fork to obtain a creamy consistency and put a nice spoonful between the figs. Decorate with a few mint leaves and serve.
A sweet recipe with figs
The sweet recipe par excellence to prepare with figs is jam, to be used then on bread, for breakfast, or for the preparation of tarts.
The tart, however, can also be made with fresh figs . Simply prepare a shortcrust or brisè base according to your favorite recipe, add the figs cut into wedges and bake at 180 ° for 30/35 minutes.
If desired, a very thin layer of fig jam can be added between the base and the fruit.
